Darkest Reality
by Jesika Starwatcher
Summary: My first Sonic fic. Very dark, so if you're sensitive, then it's quite a tearjerker.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters, indices, and locations are copyright to Sega and/or Archie Comics. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended.  
  
Author's Notes: This fanfic has been floating around in my head for quite a while.   
  
If you don't like character death, then it would be a good idea to turn back now. It's a tearjerker if you're really sensitive, so you have been warned.  
  
  
  
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Darkest Reality  
  
"Grief and tragedy and hatred are only for a time. Goodness, rememberance, and love have no end."  
  
--President George W. Bush  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
High above the surface of the war-torn Mobius existed a floating island. Not as damaged by the eleven-year-long war as the vast majority of the mainland, the island enjoyed a sheltered peace for the most part. A peace that was insured by a sixteen-year-old boy named Knuckles.  
  
On this particular night, the young echidna was wandering around through the island's lush vegetation. It was slightly cold, showing the winter had arrived. He, however, did not even notice. He was deep in thought.  
  
The Brotherhood had once again rejected the plea for help from the Knothole Freedom Fighters, despite their youngest member's protest. His violet eyes narrowed as he thought of his elders. They were so stubborn, so narrowminded, so much like what he used to be like.   
  
That war was going to reach the island someday. They couldn't hide forever.  
  
Knuckles was pulled out of his moping thoughts by a soft whimpering sound. He turned in its direction and started walking toward the disturbance, then stopped when he saw it's cause.  
  
"Tails?" he whispered.  
  
The little fox was curled up into a ball with his twin tails wrapped around him. He was rocking back and forth, sobbing.  
  
The young guardian bit his lip and knelt down beside his friend, grabbing the fox's shoulders. "Tails, are you alright? What's wrong?" he asked. He looked down at the boy's gloves and gasped. They were completely soaked with blood.  
  
Slowly, the boy looked up at him. His light blue eyes were bloodshot and there were tears still streaming down his face. He uttered one simple phrase that was so cracked and broken that the teenager could barely make it out, "He's dead."  
  
"Who's dead, Tails? Who?!"  
  
"Sonic . . . "  
  
  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Author's Notes: I'm mean, aren't I?  
  
Is Sonic really dead? Who killed him? Was it Robotnik? Stay tuned for the next part.   
  
As always, feedback is much appreciated. 


	2. Worst fears

Disclaimer: Same as last time. Knuckles, Tails, and all other characters, places, and indices are copyright to Nintendo and used without permission. Don't sue. No copyright infringement intended.  
  
Author's Notes: Ugh, same as last time. None of you read these, anyway.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Darkest Reality: Part 2  
  
"Never complain about growing older because so many never get the chance."  
  
--Unknown  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
"He's dead! He's dead, Knuckles! And it's all my fault!" Tails cried in anguish as Knuckles still held him by the shoulders. The young boy was crying even harder now, making his words bleed together into incoherent cries.  
  
Finally, the boy seemed to calm down a bit and lay his head down on the guardian's chest, sobbing softly. Knuckles jumped a bit, not sure of how to deal with a crying kid, but decided that he better get used to it.  
  
It was going to be a long night.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *   
  
  
  
Lara-Le jumped at the sound of a knock on her door. Who on Mobius would be here at 3 a.m.?  
  
Sighing, she walked over to her door and looked through the peephole. Her eyes widened and she opened it up quickly.  
  
"Knuckles? What on Mobius are you doing here? And who's that?" she inquired of her son, who was cradling a sleeping fox in his arms.  
  
Knuckles looked up at her, trying to catch his breath from carrying Tails all the way to Echidnapolis after the kit passed out from emotional exhaustion. Without saying a word, he carried his friend over to the couch and laid him down on it.  
  
"He's a friend of mine and I found him in the jungle and he's only eleven-years-old and he lives on the mainland and he was all alone and crying and . . ." the guardian said, not caring that he was rambling.  
  
Lara looked at Knuckles and then at the boy. She gasped when she saw his blood-soaked gloves. "Oh, Knuckles, he's hurt!"  
  
"No Mom. The blood's not his..."  
  
"Then whose?"  
  
"I'll explain later. I have to go do something. When he wakes up, tell him you're my mom and that I'll be back in a little bit. Don't let him leave!" Knuckles said before walking out of the apartment without another word.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Knuckles flew as fast as he could towards Knothole Village. Poor Tails had passed out while telling his story earlier, but he had said enough to scare the hell out of the young echidna.  
  
The boy had been describing his-or, more accurately, Sonic's-attacker. He said it was 'a big echidna in a blue and gold costume with really long dreadlocks that could shoot energy out of hands.' He said that Sonic had died pushing him out of the way of an energy blast that was intended for him. And he said that when the monster had killed the hedgehog, he laughed.   
  
It fit Enerjak perfectly.   
  
It made no sense, but it couldn't possibly be anyone else. The boy shuddered, but the fact that his great-uncle was back wasn't what truly scared him.  
  
What truly scared him was the fact that Tails said he was accompanied by Robotnik's Shadow Bots.   
  
And that he was in Knothole.  
  
  
  
To be continued . . .  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Author's Notes: I have decided to split this fanfic into short parts so you won't have to wait 6 months for me to write again. I'm not exaggerating, either. *sweatdrops*  
  
If you have an objection, email me.  
  
The next part I'm hoping to have out this weekend or a little later. If I take too long, feel free to tell me about it. ;-) 


	3. The Missing Link

Disclaimer: Same as last chapter. None of these characters belong to me. They belong to Sega/Archie. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended. Please don't sue. I'm not making money off of this. I'm just a poor teenage outcast with no life.  
  
Author's Notes: Since most of you seemed to like my chapter-a-week idea, I'll keep it as long as I can keep the chapters in cliffhangers until the end.  
  
If you haven't read many comic books, then now is the time to brush up on the history of Knux. It'll be hard to follow if you don't know what I'm talking about, now won't it?  
  
  
  
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Darkest Reality: Part 3  
  
"The impossible scenario we never came up with a plan for? Well we'd better come up with a plan."   
-- Sydicate Member, "X-Files, Fight the Future"  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Knuckles began scanning the ground long before he was in sight of Knothole. Partially because Enerjak may have already left the village and partially because he wanted to find his friend's body.  
  
The boy bit his lip. The hedgehog and he had never really gotten along very well. Yet, he had called Sonic 'friend.' The same Sonic that had fought him more times than he could count. The same Sonic who, when Knuckles had undergone the dangerous roboticization procedure to help the Knothole Freedom Fighters, had scorned him and ran him out of the village.  
  
The same Sonic who saved his life and his island time and time again.  
  
Knuckles gulped as he felt tears come to his eyes, but he held them back. He didn't have time to cry now. That would have to come later. The Knotholers needed him. He closed his eyes for a few seconds, flying blindly towards his destination. Finally, when he was sure he was within visibility of the village, he opened them again.  
  
"Oh no . . . " he moaned.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
In Echidnapolis, a young fox stirred in his restless sleep. Awakened by the sound of a feminine voice speaking to him, he opened his eyes groggily.  
  
"Don't worry, honey. You're okay," she whispered,smoothing his unruly hair out of his eyes.  
  
Tails sat up, staring at the female echidna that was sitting down beside him. "Who're you?"  
  
"I'm Knuckles's mother. My name is Lara-Le."  
  
The two-tailed fox frowned as he remembered why he was there. He felt tears come to his eyes again. "Knuckles. Where did he go?" he choked.  
  
"I'm not sure. He just said he wanted you to stay here."  
  
The boy stood up, a bit shakily, and walked towards the window as if in a trance. Lara-Le followed him. "What are you doing?" she asked.  
  
"He's in trouble. I hafta help him," he said blankly.  
  
Lara-Le grabbed his arm. "You can't go anywhere. And what do you mean, he's in trouble?"  
  
"Let go! I have to go! He can't die too!" the fox growled, but it sounded more like a whine as he kept talking. "I hafta fight!"  
  
The lady blinked and then spoke in the same fashion any parent would to a disobedient child. "You have to stay here!"  
  
"But . . . "  
  
"No buts. I don't know what's going on here, but children shouldn't be fighting. Now sit down!"  
  
The boy looked at her, mouth ajar, staring into her deep green eyes, before walking over to the couch and taking a seat.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
"Argh!" Knuckles screamed as he further destroyed the Shadow Bots. After making sure that his opponent was thoroughly disintegrated by firing some Chaos Energy into his back, he turned around and scanned the ruins of Knothole Village. Enerjak had destroyed everything until, although the young guardian prayed otherwise, everyone was dead. The young echidna knew that no one could have survived such an attack, unless they somehow ran away.  
  
And not even Sonic could run that fast.  
  
The young guardian panted, wanting so desperately to kill his evil ancestor that he scared himself. He tried to calm himself down, telling himself that if he ran after the echidna that he would surely be killed. The thoughts that dominated his mind, however, were those of his friends in Knothole. Sonic, Bunny, Antoine, Rotor, the royal family . . .   
  
Sally, the only childhood friend he had, was probably dead. This fact hit him just as hard as Sonic's death. He felt tears fill his eyes again, but he kept them back for a time longer. He had to do something. Who knew where that echidna had gone now?  
  
'No way I can beat him. Not by myself. Not like this,' he thought, then an idea struck him. Sure, his uncle was a chaos-powered freak, but he could be one as well.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
"Ha ha ha!" the young guardian laughed as he finally skidded to a stop with fifty power rings and seven chaos emeralds in his arms. He secretly blessed Robotnik for opening up all of those zones with his Ultimate Annihalator. Satisfied, the Knuckles closed his eyes and waited to be transformed into Hyper Knuckles.  
  
And waited.  
  
And waited.  
  
Nothing happened. Knuckles opened his eyes again and stared at his arms, counting a few more times to make sure he had enough. He did. So what was wrong?  
  
He thought of everything that had ever happened whenever he transformed. First time was when he was fighting Sonic. Second time was when he, Tails, and Sonic had all fought Mammoth Mogul. So what was missing?  
  
Sonic.  
  
He groaned and fell to his knees when he realized it. He couldn't transform without the hedgehog, and the hedgehog was dead. He was going to have to fight Enerjak alone and without any power.  
  
"I am so dead," he muttered.  
  
To be continued...  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Author's Notes: Yada, yada, yada. Same as last time. Flames, criticisms, praise, and death threats are all welcome. 


	4. One Big Mistake

Disclaimer: Same as last time. Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters, locations, and indices are copyright to Sega and/or Archie Comics. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended.  
  
  
  
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Darkest Reality: Part 3  
  
"What's going to happen to our world... What's going to happen to us...!"   
--Shevat villager, "Xenogears"  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
In the desolate city of Robotropolis, laughter erupted from what used to be King Acorns palace. Inside, two creatures, both genuises in their own right, were celebrating the defeat of some troublesome rebels.  
  
"You can't be serious!" the shorter of the two, an overlander by the name of Robotnik, exclaimed. "After all these years, and you kill him just like that?"  
  
"Yes, yes. It was quite easy, really. All it really took was one small blast," the other one, an echidna known as Enerjak, bragged. "I really don't see how those brats gave you so much trouble. They are . . . were . . . merely children."  
  
Robotnik laughed in reply, "You're one to talk. You can't even take care of that echidna, Knuckles, and his little band of rebels. They're not nearly as dangerous as the Knotholers were."  
  
With the mention of that, Enerjak's face turned sour. It lasted only a moment before he smiled again, "Very well. You may deal with the Chaotix yourself. I only ask that you leave my young nephew to me.  
  
"I have plans for the boy . . . "  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
"Okay," Knuckles muttered to himself as he made his way slowly back towards the Floating Island, "the magic numbers aren't going to work. Now what?"  
  
He had long since given up trying to find Sonic, fearing that there wasn't anything left of the hedgehog to find. The echidna sighed. There was a small chance that the hedgehog was still alive, but it was so minimal that it was almost non-existant.  
  
How many Freedom Fighter groups did that leave? The Chaotix and maybe a few tiny groups.  
  
They were going to lose this damn war.  
  
"I'm going to kill him for this..."  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Miles "Tails" Prower was pleading, "Please! Knuckles is in trouble! You gotta let me go help him! You gotta!"  
  
Lara-Le shook her head firmly, "No! You're too young. And you don't even know if he's in trouble."  
  
"Yes I do!"  
  
"How?"  
  
"I . . . I just do," Tails mumbled.  
  
"Well, he can take care of himself. He HAS been trained to fight, you know."  
  
Tails groaned.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * *   
  
  
  
Knuckles continued to walk through the Great Forest. Suddenly, he stopped as he heard the sound of a twig snapping behind him. He closed his eyes, listening intently. Another twig snapping. Marching feet. The sound of metal against metal.  
  
He spun around, getting into a fighting stance, eyes narrowing as the images of Robotnik's Shadow Bots became clear through the trees. How they found him there, he wasn't sure. It didn't matter much now.  
  
"Freedom Fighter Codename: Knuckles. Priority one: subdue and capture," one of them droned. "Surrender and prepare to be roboticized in the name of Dr. Ivo Robotnik. Resistance is futile."  
  
He looked back and forth frantically. There were at least two dozen of the mechanical soldiers. Way too many to beat for one teenager. He gulped as he realized his only choice as the robots leveled their guns at him.  
  
"Okay! I surrender!"  
  
  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Well, I've already started on the next part, so it should be up soon. Enjoy and send me a death threat, please!!!! ;p  
  
And stuff... 


	5. A Deadly Promise

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters, indices, and locations are copyright to Sega/Archie Comics. No copyright infringement intended and used without permission.  
  
  
  
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Darkest Reality: Part 5  
  
"If you can't even save your friends, then how could you save the world?"   
--Sigurd, "Xenogears"  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Knuckles growled in frustration as he struggled visciously against the two Shadow Bots that were holding him, guns levelled. He knew that he couldn't break their hold on him, but he had to at least pretend to be trying or else be shot. He needed to get to Enerjak, and there wasn't an easier way to do it than this.  
  
He looked towards the sky in despair and cried out when he remembered-too late-the acid rain that was pouring down on the wretched city. He bowed his head, chewing on his lip and blinking his eyes, praying that his sight would return to normal.  
  
About this time, he felt the rain stop beating on his head suddenly. Though he dare not look up, he could hear the thundering steps of someone much larger than he approaching. The young guardian wished desperately that he could wipe away the tears that were running down his cheeks, trying to wash out the acid.  
  
He'd rather did that let HIM see a moment of weakness.  
  
"Aww . . . what have we here? If it isn't the baby in the family," the approaching creature laughed as he came to a stop in front of the prisoner.  
  
Knuckles raised his still teary eyes slowly, taking in every inch of his evil uncle. He looked just like any other time he had seen him in his most powerful form. He was the same height, the same Egyptian-style dress, and the same cruel expression. Only one thing was different.  
  
He was completely metallic.  
  
The young guardian gulped, remembering that Dimitri had been treated with cybernetic implants after he had lost his power the first time. Those implants would make him much harder to defeat.   
  
Maybe even invincible.  
  
Knuckles brought his legs up, trying to kick his uncle, trying not to mess up the plan he was trying to rewrite in his head. "Murderer! Just wait until I get my hands on you! I'll kill . . . "  
  
He was silenced suddenly when Enerjak struck him across the face. He flet his vision swim slightly, shocked that his uncle could even hit that hard. He hadn't expected him to be that much more powerful. He could feel a trickle of blood running down his face where a sharp part of Enerjak's glove had cut him.  
  
"Oh, torturing you to death is going to be sheer delight," the evil echidna laughed, patting Knuckles on the head.  
  
"But before I do that, I'd like to ask you a question. You see, there was this little boy in Knothole Village who got away. I'd really like to find him and my good friend, Robotnik, said you might be able to tell me his whereabouts.  
  
"It shouldn't be hard to recognize him, though I don't know his name. He does have two tails and can fly. Now, does any of this sound familiar to you?"  
  
Knuckles blinked, but only for a second before bursting into insane laughter, "You're a scientist, Dimitri, and you don't know that foxes can't fly?! Man, what an idiot!"  
  
Enerjak, who was not very amused, slapped him across the face again. "I'm glad you find this funny, pup. Because of that smart little remark, I'm going to visit your island today and I'm going to kill every one of your friends and family until you decide to be more cooporative. And I think I'll let you watch. It may teach you to respect your elders."  
  
Knuckles looked up, a bit shocked, "That. . . that's not fair!"  
  
"Whoever said that war was fair, boy?" Enerjak turned to the two Shadow Bots. "Throw him in a cell, the worse one you have. He's going to have quite a show tomorrow..."  
  
To be continued...  
  
  
  
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Author's Notes: Since I won't be able to write this week, here's my next part. It's an early Christmas present. :p 


	6. Worse and Worse

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and all related characters, indices, and locations are copyright to Sega/Archie Comics. Used without permission. No copyright infringement intended.  
  
  
  
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Darkest Reality: Part 6  
  
"Never say things can't get worse. Things always find a way."  
  
--Unknown  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Knuckles sighed as he watched the Shadow Bots activate the laser bars and leave him locked in a cell. He sat on the bench until he was sure they had left.  
  
'Might as well get to work,' he thought. Getting up, he walked over to the bars and examined the device used to activate them. It was some sort of grid with weird numbers on it.  
  
"At least getting out'll be easy . . . " he muttered and placed his hand above the the grid, closing his eyes. Slowly and carefully, he concentrated his energy until it was a weak wave of chaos power floating freely from his hand. He touched the grid very gently.  
  
As soon as he did this, the buttons started lighting up in a seemingly random order. Suddenly, the bars deactivated as the code was input.  
  
"Bingo!" he whispered and stepped out of the cell, looking back and forth to make sure that there were no robotic guards around. "Now all I have to do is to find what I need and get out of here."  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *   
  
  
  
Tails sat on the couch, watching Lara-Le cook something in the kitchen. He bit his lip, trying to get rid of the nagging feeling he had since he had woken up. He looked over at the window, calculating the chances that he could sneak out without the echidna noticing.  
  
Figuring with his speed and flying ability that these chances were pretty high, he tiptoed over to the balcony and opened the window carefully. Glancing over his shoulder to make sure that she hadn't noticed, he jumped over the ledge, falling about twenty feet before spinning his twin tails, allowing him to hover.  
  
Above him, he heard a female voice yelling something. Though he couldn't make it out over the sound of his spinning tails, it sounded something like, "You're in big trouble, young man!"  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
Knuckles mumbled something under his breath as he wriggled through the ventilation ducts on his belly. He had checked every place imaginable for that damn machine and it was nowhere.  
  
It didn't really matter, anyway. He didn't know how to use it. He'd just have to find yet another way to absorb power.  
  
Finally, he came to an opening to the outside. Kicking through it, he was able to get to the outside in the city of Robotropolis.  
  
It was still raining, the precipitation stained black with soot and smog. He felt the cut on the side of his face begin to burn, but ignored it and started making his way back home.  
  
He walked without much trouble out of Robotropolis, ducking out of sight whenever some Shadow Bots passed, much too tired and pissed to fight.   
  
Much too tired for the circumstances. He frowned, closing his eyes as he walked through the Great Forest. He shouldn't be this bad off. He could go days without sleeping normally.  
  
Shaking the feeling off, he took flight, figuring that he could make better time with less energy. Still, the fatigue was nipping at him, sapping his strength. He shook his head, nawing his lip and landing. What was wrong with him?  
  
He didn't have much time to think about it as he fell into unconsciousness.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * *   
  
  
  
Author's Notes: Sorry this took so long. I had finals one week and was lazy the next. :-p 


End file.
